Soccer is called soccer due to a linguistic abbreviation of its original name, "association football."
Origin of the Name
Initially, the sport, globally recognized as football, was formally known as "association football" to distinguish it from other forms of football, such as rugby football. This distinction was crucial in 19th-century England, where various codes of "football" were played.
During this period, there was a common linguistic trend in England of shortening names and adding the "-er" suffix to create informal terms. Newspapers, seeking a more concise phrase for headlines and everyday use, began to abbreviate "association" to "assoc." This initial abbreviation was further shortened to "soc." Eventually, following the popular slang pattern of the time, the "-er" suffix was added, resulting in the term "soccer."
Evolution of the Term
To better visualize this linguistic journey, consider the following progression of the name:
| Stage | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Original Formal Name | Association Football | Used to differentiate from other "football" codes. |
| Newspaper Abbreviation | Assoc. | Adopted for brevity in media. |
| Further Shortening | Soc | A more casual, concise form. |
| Final Abbreviation | Soccer | Formed by adding the popular "-er" suffix. |
Global Usage
While "soccer" became widely adopted in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, much of the rest of the world continues to refer to the sport simply as "football." This difference often leads to confusion, but it highlights the unique etymological path the name "soccer" took. The term's widespread usage in North America, in particular, helped solidify its presence alongside the original "football" moniker, distinguishing it from American football.
